The Promise
by SweetHarmonee
Summary: Tseng confesses his feelings to Aerith. One-shot.


"There's something I want to discuss with you, Aerith." Tseng enters my cell in Hojo's laboratory. Defeated and irritated, I don't even look up and acknowledge him. "I've been wondering all evening how to approach this... Recently, something has happened. It has me reminiscing about the past quite often."

"Many years ago, when I was still a young man with Shinra," he pauses to take off his dark blue suit jacket and take a seat across from me on the floor. With him this close, I could smell the expensive cologne on his skin. "A colleague... no not a colleague, a friend of mine was a 1st Class SOLDIER. Before he left for Nibelheim on a dangerous assignment, he entrusted me to look after the girl he cared for until he returned."

I knew who Tseng was referring to and I knew he was waiting for me to respond; but I didn't dare speak.

"At the time," He went on, "I didn't think anything of it, since I had already been conducting surveillance on the girl for Shinra over many, many, many years."

I must have given a little shake, because Tseng stopped speaking at once. After a long silent moment, he sighed and continued, "I had been watching over this girl ever since she was a mere child. Even before my friend had asked me to, I put a tremendous amount of effort into delaying my mission to bring her into Shinra for scientific experimentation. Why do you think that is?"

I couldn't think of what to do or say, so with trembling hands, I wiped away the quiet tears that had begun falling down the sides of my face.

"All right, Aerith," he went on, "Long before Zack had stolen your heart, I held special feelings for you; both paternal and romantic."

He pauses, waiting for a reaction from me. I answer with more tears. Since my childhood, I had dreamnt that one day Tseng would tell me he loved me and here I am crying... because as much as I had always wanted this confession from my childhood crush, I can't help but remember my love for Zack. A love that has slowly begun to fade after all the years, but I know will never truly diminish.

"On his last day here in Midgar, I remember watching Zack build you a wagon so you could sell your flowers. I hadn't realized how much affection he felt for you until that very moment. And the smile on your face is what told me that you felt the same way for him as I did for you. I'm sure there were other signs before that day, but I must have overlooked them. You two were in love, and... I was overcome with happiness for you and jealousy of him."

Here, Tseng paused again and addressed me directly, "Aerith, are you listening to me?"

I couldn't look up at him, I couldn't speak, but I nod.

"As we both know, Zack never returned. And for four years, I continued to watch over you. You wouldn't know this, but I respected Zack a great deal," he continued, "After the Nibelheim Incident, Zack was desperate to return to Midgar and to you. We received intelligence of his whereabouts and Shinra troops were sent out to eliminate him. At that point, I had a decision to make - either save the man I respected and that you loved, or let my jealousy get the better of me and let him die."

For the first time since he entered my cell, I look up at him. Anxious for the story to continue, for his decision.

"In the end, I ordered the Turks to rescue Zack... But our failure will torment me for the rest of my days." He stops for a few minutes before speaking again. "Please forgive me for what I am about to say - I love you, Aerith."

"I... I," I try to speak, but somehow my voice had momentarily disappeared. I look down at the tiled floor in tears. "I... but..."

"Aerith," Tseng stands up and extends his hand out to me, "Come to me, Aerith."

I want to do what he asks, but I can't move, I can't speak, I just can't.

"It's quite strange," Tseng chuckles quietly, crouching down to my level and wiping away a few of my tears with his gloved hand, "that only a few years ago, when you were still a little girl, you were so bold with me. You spoke your mind freely, no matter how rude or inappropriate, and now you can barely look me in the eye."

It should be simple. I want to stop crying and look at him. Yet, somehow I'm too nervous. Too tense. Too heartbroken. Too overwhelmed. In a moment, his face is so close to mine that I can feel his warm breath upon my skin. While I was still struggling to understand what I was feeling in my heart, Tseng pulled me closer and kissed me.


End file.
